Running can be as simple as pulling on a pair of shoes and putting one foot in front of the other as fast as you can until you can no more, or as complicated as weighing the merits of leaving off those shoes, pondering why we run or where to run or how to run — or whether to run at all.

There are almost as many books on running as there are running shoes. (Photo by Seth A. McConnell, Your Hub)

Google “books on running” and more than 1.14 billion results come back in 0.38 seconds, references to the many tomes dedicated in varying degrees to one or all of those questions.

They are written by runners and non-runners alike: new runners, reluctant runners, ultra runners, weekend runners, injured runners, you name it — and as someone who has been some of those things at one point or at least obsessed with the idea (that would be ultra), I find that reading about running is just as fascinating, and leaves me a lot less sore.

Here are four released this year that I plan to give to fellow runners this holiday:

The pursuit of a healthier state through better living. The Denver Post's ColoradoFit blog features local experts on the latest fitness trends, active lifestyles and nutrition options in Colorado and beyond.